


The Reboot Package

by bludraven



Series: Sleeve-Saver [1]
Category: Altered Carbon (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Slave Trade, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-16 08:42:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14808044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bludraven/pseuds/bludraven
Summary: Reader is a “sleeve-saver” who decides to check into the Raven. Kovacs has apparently developed a penchant for picking up charity cases.





	The Reboot Package

Rain poured on the streets of Base City. The droplets sparkled with the reflection jumping from the millions of L.E.D screens and holograms announcing experiences, products, people… if one watched them long enough they’d start to get the impression that the three were all one in the same.

You’d been walking around for quite some time now; three a.m. always seemed like the best time to go for a stroll in the city. You’d once heard someone say it was the devil’s hour, that that was when all the demons and whores woke up to cause havoc, nonetheless you felt that you only ever got to see the true nature of a city when the moon hovered above us all and whispered for our innermost desires to come out and play. You always did like the moon.

As soon as you felt the first drops of rain fall onto your skin you took shelter and eyed the surrounding establishments. It wasn’t too difficult to choose which one you’d enter seeing as the majority were strip clubs and black market cover up shops.

Stepping into the building you realized it was oddly cozy despite its sheer size. You looked around for a minute, noticing the intriguing décor and how empty it was though the second half didn’t shock you. No one went to AI hotels anymore and that was part of the reason why you did.

“Greetings miss.” A voice resounded from behind you and you instantly turned to see a man, or rather AI, dressed in ancient English garments and a mustache you found quite pathetic despite it matching the rest of his look perfectly.

“Hello.” You replied and walked up to the counter he stood behind.

“Welcome to the Raven. How may I assist you on this fine evening?”

You smiled vaguely and stared at him a moment longer. The AI furrowed his brows, perhaps wondering what was taking you so long to reply. The truth was that you enjoyed watching their reactions; seeing them feign perplexity at the lack of usual human interaction despite not truly being able to fully comprehend it themselves. It eased you to be able to deviate from social norms, and conversing, or rather ignoring, AIs was the most harmless way you found to do so.

“Madam?” The program called to you politely and you drew in a deep breath as you rested your elbows on the wooden counter and stared back at him.

“Yes.” You answered simply, taking your sweet time, blinking at him with the slightest hint of amusement hidden in the corner of your mouth.

“Is there anything I can help you with?”

You smiled the tiniest bit and nodded once.

“Yes.”

“Ah.” The AI smiled and repositioned himself, back straight and hands folded atop the counter.

“I’d like…”

If the program could breathe, he’d be holding his breath as he stared at you leisurely tuck a bit of your long dark hair behind the shell of your ear and cock your head.

“To know your name.” You finally finished your sentence and stared patiently at him.

“Poe.” The AI responded dispassionately and slumped back slightly.

“Nice to meet you, Poe.” You proceeded to tell him a name that wasn’t truly yours and extend your hand for him to shake.

He did shake it but simultaneously began to question, yet again, what he could do for you at which point you were growing quite annoyed by the repetition and settled on amusing him.

“Well, Poe, I’d like a room and a drink.”

This time he seemed much more invested in the request and perked up as he watched you press a finger on the screen connected to the desk. When the transaction was complete he then strode across to the other side of the counter where an elegant looking display exhibited the various liquors he had to offer.

“What class of spirit did you have in mind, madam?”

“Definitely whiskey.” You responded seriously for the first time since you’d gotten there.

“Perhaps something more refined, suitable for a sophisticated lady looking for a soothing-“

“Something I can knock back like a cowboy.”

“Of course…” Poe pulled out a shot glass along with a rectangular bottle with a honey colored liquid swimming inside it and began to serve you.

“A more rustic flavor is also always a superb choice to finish off the night in a stimulating fashion.”

You could smell the alcohol from where you sat and wondered if what he’d poured you was anything other than fermented acetone though you didn’t really care.

“Thank you.” You held onto the glass but didn’t show any signs of taking it anywhere near your lips.

“So, Poe.” You rerouted his attention away from the drink he was waiting to see you knock back, as you’d mentioned.

“How long have you been around?”

He cocked his head a bit, obviously curious about what your end game here was.

“Well… quite a while.”

“You must have a lot of interesting stories to tell, huh?” You kept chatting him up.

“Yes, plenty. I’d love to share them over a drink.” He smiled and hummed while nodding towards the glass you held.

“Has anyone ever died here? I’ve always wanted to stay at a haunted hotel.” You ignored him again and pretended not to notice how confused he was starting to get about the whole ordeal.

“As a matter of fact…”

Suddenly there was a noise at the entrance. Seconds later a rather large man strut in, dripping in rain and blood, although from the calm expression he had on you wouldn’t have believed it if you hadn’t seen him yourself.

Both you and the AI stared as the guy walked up to the two of you. Instinctively your grip on the shot glass tightened and it took all your focus to keep your breathing steady and not look like you were suddenly very aware that you no longer had the upper hand in your current setting.

The guy stared at you the entire way up to the bar before casually switching to the AI.

“You’re getting popular.” His gruff voice rumbled in the quiet lobby and you didn’t know whether to avert your eyes or quietly watch him to be ready to promptly respond in case he spoke to you.

“Indeed, particularly amongst… unique clientele.” Poe commented, cocking his head and raising his brows.

The stranger looked back over to where you sat completely still. His gazed flickered over you and then to your drink.

“You gonna finish that?”

Immediately shaking your head you stretched out your arm to hand him the drink.

“Here.” Your voice caught in your throat a bit and he raised a brow at you before looking to Poe who simply stared back at him, as if to say he too had no idea what your deal was.

“Thanks.” The guy nodded and you simply gulped back the saliva that had nervously pooled in your mouth.

As your promise of drinking the liquor like a cowboy was fulfilled by someone other than yourself your eyes darted around the man’s soaked clothes, paying specific attention to the blood-strewn areas.

“Looking’s for free but touching’s gonna cost you a little something.” The stranger spoke again after downing the alcohol and noticing you glaring.

“I’m- I’m sorry. I- I didn’t mean to-“

“Hey, calm down. I was joking.”

You finally looked him in the eyes, though cautiously, before realizing he had no intention of doing whatever he’d done the person who’s blood he currently wore to you. Letting out a relieved breath you looked back down to the countertop while rubbing your forehead nervously.

“You don’t really seem like the type to be having a drink at a ghost hotel at three in the morning.” He spoke again as he glanced over to you and you raised your head to eye him as well.

“Ghost hotel?” Poe whispered, mildly offended.

“What gave it away?” You smirked embarrassedly.

“Could’ve been your shaking hands.” The guy angled his head a little as he pointed to them.

You snickered awkwardly and ringed your palms to calm down.

“Here, I’ll pay you back for that drink.” The man stated and nodded towards Poe to pour another bit of the liquid.

“Oh, no, its fine, I wasn’t really going to drink that anyway.”

He looked back to Poe again and leaned on the counter as he stared at you before rolling his eyes ironically.

“What’re you doing at a bar then?”

You looked back to the guy and tilted your head while letting out a little scoff.

“That’s kind of a personal question for someone whose name I don’t even know.”

“Takeshi Kovacs.” He put his hand out and patiently waited for you to comply.

You stared back at his green eyes with a bit of amusement before meeting him halfway and shaking his large, rough hand while introducing yourself, this time with your real name, causing Poe to stare at you while you lightly smirked back and he walked away, leaving the bottle on the counter for Kovacs.

“So, now can you tell me what someone who has no intention of drinking is doing sitting alone in a bar with an AI and possibly gasoline in an old whiskey bottle?” He picked up the bottle and skimmed over its name with an expression of disdain for the drink before setting it down away from him and searching his pockets for a cigarette.

You rolled your eyes and lightly chuckled.

“I come for the AIs.”

Kovacs raised his brows while taking a drag of the cigarette as you shook your head.

“It’s not what you’re thinking… at all.”

He blew out some smoke as he waited for the follow up and you sighed before complying.

“They’re good company.”

The man cringed as his eyes darted from side to side.

“I’ve… heard otherwise.”

“Trust me; I know what they’re like. But I have something to fall back on in case things get… out of hand.”

“Really?” He remarked sarcastically and you nodded.

“And what might that be?”

You looked around for a second, wishing you did have a drink to stall with this time.

“I’m a sleeve-saver.”

The guy shook his head, held onto his cigarette and he pouted his bottom lip to show his lack of knowledge of the term.

“That’s fair, it’s pretty… covert, I suppose.” You gave him the benefit of the doubt and went on to explain.

“After clones, sleeve-savers are the next best thing.”

He sat up, his expression becoming a lot less casual and lot more attentive.

“Proprietors will go to some third world country with people willing to sell for an amount way below the market average over here; this particular sleeve’s from the amazon. They bring them to the company and that’s where I come in.”

At that point there was no trace of relaxation or amusement in Kovacs face.

“I get spun into the sleeve and…save it.” You smile sadly and look away from the man’s stone expression.

“What for exactly?” He finally speaks up again though with a much more serious tone.

“Lots of reasons; extended youth, cross-sleeving, some people just like to change up their looks every once in a while. Every sleeve-saver has a specific specialty.”

“What’s your catch?” Kovacs eyes were locked onto your face as your fake nonchalance faded away into an uneasy scurrying gaze.

“Oh, I’m what they call the reboot-package; no drinking, smoking, drugs, kissing and um… full virginity.”

You didn’t look back up this time but could hear him sucking in a breath you couldn’t quite distinguish between disgust and discomfort.

“So I’m guessing this is how you have your fun?”

You nodded awkwardly.

“AI hotels are like homes with built in best friends, plus when the proprietor needs the sleeve I get spun back into a new one so I never have to worry about the stalker part of the deal.”

He didn’t say anything, only stared back at you, leaving you to wonder what was going on in his head much like you’d done to Poe earlier.

“Don’t you get tired of spinning back up all the time? Never really being yourself? Living for other people?”

You smiled and looked away.

“Sure, but it helped me too; I’ve got enough credits to get by comfortably and I did everything I could for my folks when they were alive.”

“If you’re as backed up as you say then why not get out?”

You snickered and shook your head.

“That’s not how it works; the only way I get out is if I ask to be put on ice or buy out the sleeve from the proprietor, which my current salary does not cover because obviously the company isn’t dumb enough to equip me with the means to my own freedom.”

Kovacs stared at you understanding the complications to your line of work.

“Word to the wise; read the fine print before signing anything.” You joked pitifully.

There was a moment of silence before he finally stood, still wordless, and put out his cigarette before walking over to you and kissing your lips for the briefest of seconds.

You pulled away, shocked and angered but mostly terrified of what was to happen next.

“What the hell did you do?!” You stood immediately and pulled your hair away from the nape of your neck, where your stack was already glowing and a robotic voice was announcing that unless there was a credit code confirmation in the next 20 seconds the sleeve-saver would be “deactivated”.

Kovacs didn’t answer but instead held you still and placed his thumb on the display on your skin. The glowing faded away as the voice thanked you for your “purchase” and you slowly turned back to the man.

“What… Who… Who are you?”

“Takeshi Kovacs, we’ve done this part already.” He started walking off to an elevator as if he hadn’t just bought your sleeve and, practically speaking, your freedom.

“I… What do you want from me?”

He turned back to you, standing in the elevator patiently.

“You’re asking the wrong question.”

The elevator doors start to close as he stares at you from across the lobby.

“What do you want?”


End file.
